Author: Laurel Luehmann

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Assorted Bits of Thoughts, Humor, and Inspiration

by Laurel Luehmann4 Comments on Assorted Bits of Thoughts, Humor, and Inspiration
Assorted Bits of Thoughts, Humor, and Inspiration

Hello, friends! Today I offer you a random smattering of quotes, anecdotes, and observations that God’s used to bless me, challenge me, and make me laugh of late. I hope they can do the same for you.:)

***

In my own little corner of the world (to quote Junior Asparagus:)), we’ve been having some cold weather. Very cold. With wind. Since I get to work outside, it’s been a little… rough. And trying. But the temperature is now in the teens!!! I’m crazy excited… and ready to go tearing through the pasture with a sweatshirt and no hat.:)

***

“The altar means fire – burning and purification and insulation for one purpose only, the destruction of every affinity that God has not started and of every attachment that is not an attachment in God.” – Oswald Chambers

***

Has anyone ever noticed the uncanny way that snippets of the lyrics from Frozen songs can be pulled out of context to relate to the events of 2020?

“For years I’ve roamed these empty halls – why have a ballroom with no balls? Finally they’re opening up the gates! There’ll be actual real live people – it’ll be totally strange. Wow, am I so ready for this change! … For the first time in forever, I won’t be alone.”

“A kingdom of isolation… don’t let them in… turn away and slam the door.” (But Elsa, why bother? A cold never bothered you, anyway.)

***

“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” – Philippians 2:3-4

***

Heart’s On Fire by Sidewalk Prophets is a beautiful song with wonderful lyrics. I think you need to listen to it.:)

***

One day during lunch this week, the conversation turned to the exciting things that my sisters would be able to do come their next birthday. Play in a piano recital, get their library card, etc. Finally they asked, “What will you be able to do when you turn nineteen?”

The general consensus was that there is nothing exciting lying in store for me beyond the threshold of my nineteenth year. Woe is me.

***

“The bias of nature is toward the wilderness, never toward the fruitful field.” – A.W. Tozer

***

“I don’t know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve. This was rather unexpected and rather difficult. There was some scattered clapping, but most of them were trying to work it out and see if it came to a compliment.” – from The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien

Shared with me by my brother, this quote alone is more than enough to convince me that I must read The Fellowship of the Ring in the near future.

***

“There are few things harder to bear than uncertainty – but He holds my hand, and I am certain of Him.” – Elisabeth Elliot

I love this thought. Being certain of God’s hold on me makes all the crazy uncertainties of my world bearable… even beautiful and exciting! He truly does make life worth living.

What has been blessing/challenging/entertaining you of late?

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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The Valentine’s Day Post

by Laurel Luehmann7 Comments on The Valentine’s Day Post
The Valentine’s Day Post

Happy Thursday, people! Happy almost-Valentine’s Day, as well.:)

Yesterday morning, as I finished reading the book of Jeremiah, some of the very last verses caught my eye, stopped me, and made me think. My train of thought led me to ponder what love really is and does, so I decided to share the whole works with you today and dub it a rather unconventional Valentine’s themed post.:)

So here are the verses that started it all…

“Evil-Merodach king of Babylon, in the first year of his reign, lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah and brought him out of prison. So Jehoiachin changed from his prison garments.” – Jeremiah 52:31b and 32a

This in itself is just a fragment of a historical account. Nothing outstanding. But a parallel jumped out at me here, and I remembered…

I’m no longer in the prison of sin. Jesus freed me from that. So I need to leave my prison garments behind, and Colossians 3 says they are…

“… anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.”

And what does the clothing of this “new man” look like?

“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.

“But above all these things…

“put on love, which is the bond of perfection.”

We’re not talking about the frail manifestation of dutiful affection that seems to abound at this time of year. We’re talking about the real deal.

Honest-to-goodness true love.

The stuff that remains when all the beauty and romance of life is gone. When there are no happy emotions. When sin has left deep, open wounds on the heart and there seems to be nothing left but hurt. When everything that’s in you screams to leave it all and run…

Love is what picks up the pieces and painfully carries on when the road is so broken, life seems to have no direction or meaning anymore.

Love suffers long, and it’s kind.

Love doesn’t envy.

Love doesn’t parade itself… it’s not puffed up.

Love doesn’t behave rudely.

Love doesn’t seek its own.

Love is not provoked.

Love thinks no evil.

Love doesn’t rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth.

Love bears all things.

Believes all things.

Hopes all things.

Endures all things.

Love never fails.

So let’s celebrate it. Celebrate true love this season. It’s tempting to glaze over all the flaws and rough spots in our relationships with glitter and flowers and such…

But how about making this Valentine’s Day different from the rest?

How about digging deep into our hearts right now, crying out to God, and asking Him to root out everything in us that isn’t born of Him… that isn’t born of love? We may not have much left when we’re through… but it’ll be pure. It’ll hurt… but it’ll be worth it.

I’m not an expert on relationships of any sort… and maybe that’s why I’m writing this. Because I know I can’t be a good friend, daughter, sister, you name it, without God. Without the deep, unshakable love that He alone offers me. And I can’t offer it to others unless I have received it from Him.

Two things, people. Love God, love people.

Happy Valentine’s Day. ❤

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Personal

The Liebster Award… Again! Twice.

by Laurel Luehmann7 Comments on The Liebster Award… Again! Twice.
The Liebster Award… Again! Twice.

Hello, friends!

If you remember, I was nominated for the Liebster Award last year in December. I’ve been nominated again… two days in a row… so you guys have another long post filled with random information ahead of you.

First off, the rules.

1. Thank the person who nominated you, include a link to their blog, and add the Liebster Award badge to your blog and/or post. 

2. Answer the eleven questions from the person who nominated you. 

3. Give eleven random facts about yourself. 

4. Nominate 5-11 fellow bloggers. 

5. Notify your nominees that you nominated them for the Liebster Award. 

6. Ask your nominees eleven questions.

The first nomination was from Maya Joelle, who blogs right here. Go check her out, especially if you’re a fan of the fantasy genre. She’s got some fun book/music reviews, blog tags, info about her WIP and more! Head on over there!

Maya’s questions were…

1.) What is your favorite summertime drink?

Oh, man. Must this be so hard? We’ll go with an iced coffee.:)

2.) Have you ever met someone whose first language was not English (or was your first language not English)? What was that like?

Yes… I’ve known people who grew up in Mexico for as long as I can remember, and I work with several now! It’s been really neat… although a bit of a struggle when they can’t find the words to express what they’re trying to communicate, or when I can’t understand what they’re saying because of their accent. Thankfully, they’re so gracious with my confusion and laugh it off. A sense of humor covers a multitude of sins.:)

3.) Do you fluently speak any language other than your first? Which one? How’d you learn it?

Not really… although I can usually decipher Spanish sentences. I learned Spanish through a combination of Duo Lingo, Rosetta Stone, stories read in Spanish, and other sources. Oh, but I can say “Please listen – do you speak English?” in Hindi. Because that’s just so helpful.

4.) Have you ever made up a language, or do you want to?

If creating a howling code with brothers and cousins counts, then yes. Been there, done that.

5.) Is it snowy where you live?

FYI: Princess Anna is actually me.

6.) What song did you last listen to? Did you like it?

I’m currently listening to a song called “Hope Now” because it popped up on the station I’m listening to… I would say I like it! It’s not outstanding, in my opinion, but it’s not despicable.:)

7.) Would you rather be Lizzy Bennett (Pride and Prejudice) or Peter Parker (Spider-man)? (Ignore whether you’re the same gender for this question and just think about the situation/personality.)

*looks up a synopsis of just who Spider-Man is*

Lizzy Bennett. Books, long letters, walks, sarcasm, interesting interactions and lots of plot twists… sounds fascinating and familiar.:)

8.) Have you ever been to Michigan? If so, what did you think of it?

Not yet!

9.) Favorite non-official holiday?

Grilled Cheese Day – April 12. A few years ago, our family started a little tradition for our farm… we host a grilled cheese lunch on that day for our employees and other people who work with our farm. It is so much fun! Sadly, last year we canceled due to *unintelligible muttering and sputtering*

10.) Does your church follow the liturgical calendar?

Until I was eleven, we were members of a Lutheran church, and we did there. Now we’re at a non-denominational church that doesn’t follow the liturgical calendar.

11.) Do you like being asked about your future plans? Why or why not?

Ooh… *cringes* Not really. If you’re between the ages of 18 and 22, people seem to automatically assume that you’re in college, so answering “where are you going to school?” with “I’m not going to school, I’m working on my family’s farm while working towards a career in writing” is challenging at times. People either ask for my back-up plan (nothing like boosting a girl’s confidence!) or treat me like I’m about to win the Newbery Medal, and both of these reactions make me shrivel up inside. So, no. I don’t really like being asked that question… and yet somehow I do at the same time. It’s complicated.

Thanks for the questions, Maya! That was fun!:)

Okay, next up…

Mia Harden nominated me, as well! Thank you so, much, Mia.:) You can check out Mia’s blog right here to read some of her super fun posts. Go do it!

Mia’s questions were…

1.) What Food Do You Want to Like, But Just Can’t?

Omelets. I’ve always had a bit of a love/hate relationship with them. I’m not a picky eater, but if I’m going to enjoy an omelet, it has to be absolutely perfect. Not scorched, but with zero runniness. With mushrooms and onions… lots of them. And ham is nice, too. No salsa… that pulls away from the mushrooms and onions. But sour cream on top is great, because… dairy.

2.) If You Could Go Anywhere In the World, Where Would You Go?

Europe. Mountains, history, and a different culture… need I say more?

3.) Excluding Any Instruments That You Might Play, What Is Your Favorite Instrument?

My favorite are the piano and guitar… but I play both. I think that the cello is so beautiful – and I’m such a terrible cellist, I think I can get away with saying I don’t really play it.:)

4.) What Is the Funniest Thing That Has Ever Happened to You?

One Sunday evening, after my mother’s reputation as one of the best chocolate chip cookie bakers in the region was well established among the kids in our youth group (they had scarfed down a box or two, leaving nary a crumb for yours truly a few weeks before this), I began the slow and painful process of trying to drag three siblings away to the car.

After telling the siblings that it was time to leave, I ran to grab the cookies. I was stopped by one of our youth leaders, who asked if she could grab a few cookies before I left. Then, as I began my pilgrimage to the car, I was attacked by a multitude of panicking friends. I’m serious – there were grabbing hands everywhere. It cracked me up, and I still grin every time I remember it. (Maybe this wasn’t the funniest thing… but it’s one of my favorite funny memories.)

(You can find the recipe for these amazing cookies here, on my other blog.:) )

5.) What Is Your Favorite Day of the Week?

Sunday! Although I love the routine of my weekday schedule, it’s such a treat to be able to refresh and refocus on Sundays. Spending time with my church family, spending extra time focusing on and drawing near to Jesus, just hanging out with my family, and (let’s admit it) Sunday afternoon naps are simply the best.

6.) What is Something Random that You Like to Do?

Strike up conversations between characters whose personalities and situations I invent as I go. One of them is usually in tears or upset about something. I’d say that’s random.

7.) Early Bird or Night Owl?

Lately I’ve been a night owl… but I function better when I’m an early bird. I just struggle to tell my brain to stop working and go to sleep.:)

8.) On a Scale of One To Ten, How Excited Were You For This Nomination?

Good question! I was nominated for this last year, and then my excitement was definitely a 10! It was the first blog award for which I’d been nominated, and I was pretty much bouncing off the walls.:) This time around I was more like, “Oh, cool, another nomination!” So maybe a 7 or 8?

9.) You Have the Opportunity to Go on an All-Expenses-Paid Trip to See Your Favorite Singer Perform, But It Happens At the Same Time As Something Else You’ve Always Wanted to Do. What is The Other Thing, And Which Would You Choose?

The other thing would be marrying someone amazing… and I think that choice is a no-brainer. Besides… concerts are usually in big cities. With crazy traffic. And tons of people. I can listen to Sidewalk Prophets anytime I want to at home, anyway.:)

10.) When Did You Decide You Wanted to Start a Blog?

I had to think about this one! I think it was in the spring or summer of 2017… and I started my first blog in October of 2017. I pretty much got hooked on blogging for life after that.:)

11.) And the Question For the Win, How Many Other Blogs Are You Following?

Ooh… I actually have no idea. Maybe… 20? Or 30?

Random Facts About Me

  1. I used to be an avid bacon grease collector.
  2. I wrote a horrible story once, and knew it was horrible. To scare me, my brother wrote up his own version on the same type of paper and pretended that my story was in his possession. His version was so much better than mine and is still in existence. Mine was ripped up by my own two hands years ago.
  3. My family laughed at me when I informed them that taking Geometry helped me to think more logically.
  4. If a game involves words, definitions, or acting, I will probably love it.
  5. This blog has been cracking me up, and I can’t recommend it enough. It’s chock-full of my kind of sarcastic humor. Please. Go read it.
  6. My favorite musical is Fiddler on the Roof.
  7. The first scene in an HF novel I started writing was set by a brook in my favorite park.
  8. I once dropped a plate, shattering it, and promptly landed on a shard. With my bare foot.
  9. Phone calls terrify my introverted soul. Texts or letters, please.
  10. If I didn’t love writing or working on the farm, I may have ended up pursuing a career in law or politics. (please refer to random fact #3 and laugh with my family.)
  11. I love to debate.

And I would like to nominate…

Tabitha Rutto

Sarah at The Sarcastic Elf

Hannah at The Striped Plaid

Rachel at Kinetic Intent

Rachel at Joyful Creations

My questions for my nominees:

  1. What are some of your favorite quotes/Bible verses at present?
  2. What has been one of the happiest days of your life so far, and why?
  3. What is your favorite book genre?
  4. What is your favorite movie, and why?
  5. Why do you blog?
  6. Do you prefer talking face-to-face or communicating through writing?
  7. What is your favorite outfit?
  8. If you could spend one full day with your best friend, what would you do together?
  9. What would you say is your biggest goal in life?
  10. Do you plan your blog posts ahead of time, or leave them ’til the last minute?
  11. How would you describe your personality in three words?

If you’re still here… you’re either one of my nominees or a gem. Or both.:) Thanks for sticking with me.

Have a lovely day, folks… and feel free to answer any of these questions in the comment section!

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My 2020 Playlist (+ some backstory on why I chose these songs)

by Laurel Luehmann7 Comments on My 2020 Playlist (+ some backstory on why I chose these songs)
My 2020 Playlist (+ some backstory on why I chose these songs)

Happy Thursday, all! I’m here to flood your day with good music.:)

I love the music that comes in and offers just the encouragement, conviction, or wisdom I need to hear at just the perfect time. Today I’d like to share with you some of the songs that blessed me in 2020… mostly ordered chronologically.:) I’ve linked each of the song titles to a YouTube video so you can go listen right away!

Living Hope – Phil Wickham

Hallelujah, praise the One who set me free
Hallelujah, death has lost its grip on me
You have broken every chain
There’s salvation in Your name
Jesus Christ, my living hope

Broken every chain… such a beautiful reminder! One of my favorite things about this song is the reminder that I don’t have to fear death, or be chained by sin or my past… Jesus has paid it all and made me free to serve Him.

This is What We Live For – Big Daddy Weave

Chasing Your heart
And all that You are
We surrender
Surrender all

It’s so easy for my perspective to get clouded by all the activity and things that are swirling around me… even by the good things like family, youth group, and writing. Ultimately, I’m involved in all of those things for God and His glory, and I love how this song reminds me of that.

Love God, Love People – Danny Gokey

Gotta keep it real simple, keep it real simple
Bring everything right back to ground zero
‘Cause it all comes down to this
Love God and love people

This came on the radio shortly before graduation… aka one of the most stressful seasons of my life thus far.:) The reminder that Christianity really is this simple was a breath of fresh air that I so desperately needed.

You Already Know – JJ Heller

I can’t seem to find the easy answers
Someday I hope the suffering makes sense
I just need to know that You are with me
Even if You keep me in suspense
We talk so much these days
Because I have so much to say
You stay and listen to me closely even though

You already know

This song jumped into my life at one of the most turbulent points of 2020 for me. I remember sitting there in the car after hearing it on the radio, wondering how this song, written by someone who didn’t even know me, could so perfectly describe my emotions in that moment. Not only are the words so solid, but JJ Heller’s voice and this arrangement are so lovely.

Desert Song – Hillsong Worship

All of my life
In every season
You are still God
I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship

That snippet of the song says it all.:)

Be Thou My Vision

Thou and Thou only be first in my heart
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art

I’ve basically taken this one as the theme song for my life.:) The lyrics are so solid and beautiful, and the reminder that God has to be first in my heart is one I need each and every day.

Different – Micah Tyler

I don’t need to recognize the man in the mirror
And I don’t wanna trade Your plan for something familiar
I can’t waste a day, I can’t stay the same

After graduating from high school last summer, I took off down a rather unconventional path… and quite honestly, that’s been hard. Even though I love where I am, it can be difficult to have to do a lot of explaining when people ask what I’m up to.:) This song reminds me that if I’m different because I’m pursuing the Lord, it’s totally okay to be different.

Amen – I Am They

Amen, let Your kingdom come
Amen, let Your will be done
And through the rise and fall
You’re God above it all

I don’t think I need to explain to anyone how life felt like it was spiraling out of control in 2020.:) It was spiraling out of my control… but certainly not God’s. This song is a beautiful reminder of that.

Were there any songs that spoke to your heart in 2020?

Journaling, Personal

Recent Reads, Journal Snippets, + Highlights of January 2021

by Laurel Luehmann2 Comments on Recent Reads, Journal Snippets, + Highlights of January 2021
Recent Reads, Journal Snippets, + Highlights of January 2021

The first month of 2021 is officially over… and here’s my review.:)

Highlights of the month

  • indoor s’mores with my sisters
  • Mongolian Steamed Dumpling Night… which soon turned into Mongolian Fried Dumpling Night. The transition from steaming to frying was only a slight improvement. Ketchup helped.:)
  • reading a letter my grandmother sent home from college when she was around my age
  • eating buckeyes and exchanging snarky (good-natured!) comments with my brother while we worked on writing and algebra
  • talking late in the night with sisters
  • discovering a love of flying
  • communicating via phone with my family while I was away from home
  • swimming in the ocean
  • spending lots of time with sweet friends
  • experiencing sunburn in January for the very first time:)
  • breaking out of writer’s block
  • reading to my little sister

What I’ve Been Reading

To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee

This was on the banned books list and recommended by numerous sources, so of course I had to read it.:) I’ve not finished it yet, but I’ve been appreciating it so far. The way it is written totally draws me into the story and makes me feel like I’m physically right there watching what’s happening. Due to the nature of the storyline and Scout’s use of language, I don’t recommend it for everyone.

Keep a Quiet Heart – Elisabeth Elliot

This is such a beautiful collection of wisdom that’s applicable to so many different areas of life. My mom gave this to me right before I went on vacation… and I spent a lot of time reading it. As a homeschool graduate, I especially loved what she had to say about home education… and it made me even more sure that I want to home educate any children I may ever have.:)

Charlotte’s Web – E.B. White

I just started reading this one to my youngest sister, and it’s been fun to read it again! For some strange reason, reading about the scraps Wilbur eats makes me hungry. Weird.

Journal Snippets

Make me a vessel for honor, Lord – cleanse me from all that would dishonor You. Make me fit for every good work.

Lord, thank You for giving assurance of Your control of my life… of this nation… of this world. Of the tiniest happenings in my day. It gives me peace like nothing else can.

Lord, thank You for leading me… to a desperation for Yourself and the life You want me to lead. I pray that You would fuel this holy discontentment, never letting me sink into status quo. Let me always be seeking, reading, serving, loving. Always loving.

Oh, Lord, let me not heed the voice of tradition while riding roughshod over Your commands.

Let me give up this intense longing for what I cannot have and that which is not eternal. Turn that desire to You and let the flames rage until they consume all the dross and leave only pure emotions – a pure heart that is wholly Yours.

Habakkuk’s attitude of humility in his questioning – “I will… watch to see what He will say to me, and what I will answer when I am corrected.” He isn’t questioning to force God into admitting He’s wrong; he’s questioning because his finite mind can’t wrap itself around God’s plan. Let me question You in such a way, Lord.

The will of God for me RIGHT NOW: thankfulness in every situation, and sanctification.

God, You are my Fortress, my Mighty Warrior, my Defender, my Comforter, my Love, my Great Delight, my Everything. You are indeed all to me. Nothing can add to or subtract from Who You are to me. You are my Peace. You are enough for me. And no matter where January 26th, 2022 (one year from the day I wrote this) finds me, You will still be more than enough for me, my God, my Jesus. Thank You… thank You for loving a wretch like me.

Let me never be a dumb piece on display, but a living, breathing proof of God’s power.

What have you been doing/reading/writing? I’d love to hear from you!

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase something through one of the links I share in this post, I receive a small commission… at no extra cost to you.:)

Flash Fiction

Like Me – Flash Fiction

by Laurel Luehmann2 Comments on Like Me – Flash Fiction
Like Me – Flash Fiction

I shiver. Had I known it would be this cold up here, I would have swiped another sweater from that clothesline. But I didn’t. So I shiver.

I can hear Tommy hissing in my ear now: Serves you right. You deserve worse. Knowing I should be in the clink only makes things worse, and my legs are shaking so badly now I can hardly move… but I’ve got to. I’ve made it this far, and I’m too close to the hope of a new life to turn back now.

But a tiny whimpering stops me. The scrubby bushes on my left tremble slightly. Scrambling on my hands and knees, I search. There’s a puppy, small, damp, spotted, and dirty, staring out at me with brown eyes too big for his body.

He’s alone. Like me.

“It’s okay, buddy.” I inch my hand towards him. My arm won’t stay still… but the cold’s not to blame now. I think it’s the foreign feeling of letting my guard down around another living being.

The little fellow whines again as I grasp his ribby body, but he doesn’t try to run. That’s a first. His eyes are glued to me as I lift him out and hold him close. He’s shaking, too. “It’s okay, buddy.”

While I unbutton my coat and slip him inside, he’s shaking and crying. “Shh… shh. It’s okay. It’s okay, buddy.” I let myself stroke the hairs on his tiny head. They’re matted and grimy. “Are you lost, too?” He just looks at me. He still doesn’t run.

Maybe some company on this trip wouldn’t be so bad.

Photo by Joe Dudeck on Unsplash

Guest Posts

Being a Christian: What Does That Look Like? – Guest Post

by Laurel Luehmann8 Comments on Being a Christian: What Does That Look Like? – Guest Post
Being a Christian: What Does That Look Like? – Guest Post

Happy Monday, all!

Today’s post was written by my role model, counselor, fellow jokester, debater, and one of my very best friends: my brother Peyton.

I’m laughing here as I see him saying he’s not a good writer… because I’m of the absolute opposite opinion. Some of the things I love most about him are his hard honesty and unwavering devotion to the people and causes he loves. Here he displays those qualities perfectly.

Without further ado… here he is.:)

My name is Peyton Luehmann. I am Laurel’s younger brother and I will begin by warning you: I am not a blogger! I am actually not even a good author, so it was incredible that she let me do this.

I told her I would write an overview on what it means to be a Christian because that is, to me, the most important element of our lives. I find my purpose, identity, and fulfillment in the sacrifice made at Calvary, and feel that all Christians are called to that perspective. I have put this post together in the form of answers to the title.

It means that Christ becomes everything to us.

This is really the biggest point. The reality is that we are criminals convicted (by a just God) of infidelity and hostility towards Him, and that instead of having to bear the death penalty for sin (without shedding of blood there is no remission of sin) we are met with the news that someone has taken our penalty for us, and we can go free! What news indeed!

Now I pose the question: would not this person who took the penalty for us be deserving of some form of gratitude? The answer is absolutely. A perfect Being came as a real live human and suffered an unthinkable death to pay our fine. Such a Being would be more than deserving of simple “gratitude”! He would deserve our very lives.

Therefore, we come to a place of realization that we are forever indebted to this God, this Christ, this Holy Spirit. Our only just response can be the complete surrender of our will to His, the reverence-filled obedience to His instructions, and the act of losing ourselves in His love; this is a perfect and holy love, unparalleled by human feeling.

It means that we must lose sight of all trivial matters.

2 Timothy 2:4 says, “No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life. . .”. Our relationship with this world must become wary and untrusting; we must view the surrounding world as a net that threatens to entangle us. It is true that we were put here by our God, but in light of the fact that He is now all to us, we have no choice but to abandon our flesh and march after our King.

We are also told that all of mankind will hate us for our connection with Christ. Our journey will be that of despised outcasts if we are living in accordance with the instructions given us. But our home is in a better country; we have the promise of a perfect land where sin and death have no power. This world is simply a preparation for Eternity.

It means that we must become oblivious to the opinion of others in our pursuit of Christ.

This is one that I really wrestle with a lot. I read stories in the Bible (and elsewhere) of real people who, in their devotion to God, ignored what surrounding people might think in their obedience to perform His will. People like Noah, Abraham, Daniel, Mary, and countless others. Our culture today especially is constantly concerned with their reputation, other people’s perception of them, etc. It is all a disgusting swamp to me. We are letting our connections with the world (which should be completely severed at our union with Christ) hold us back from living delightfully all for Him. The concept of a mind freed from concern of status is a beautiful image to me, and one that I puzzle over constantly.

I hope that this gave you a renewed view of Christianity, and that you would either claim this unspeakable gift if you have not already done so, or that, if you have, what you just read would spur you on to a deeper, fuller, and more amazing relationship with Jesus. Again, this life is all about Him and the promise of what is to come. Keep living for Christ!

Flash Fiction

Stones and Souls – Flash Fiction

by Laurel Luehmann2 Comments on Stones and Souls – Flash Fiction
Stones and Souls – Flash Fiction

Rolling, plunging, falling, pounding… the roaring of the falls gave voice to the storm raging inside.

He stared at the white foam that billowed where the water hit the rocks. Veiled by mist though they were, they were there all the same… bare, silent, cold. They sat in helpless immobility, the rushing waters stripping them of life.

He felt a strange affinity.

Crouching, he let his fingers brush the thick and thriving moss that clung to a nearby boulder.

Perhaps someday…

Photo by Kyle Cesmat on Unsplash

Uncategorized

I Hit 25,000 Words!!!

by Laurel Luehmann10 Comments on I Hit 25,000 Words!!!
I Hit 25,000 Words!!!

Yes, yes, yes! My novel-in-progress is fleshing out… and it now weighs in at over 25,000 words/17+ chapters!!!

I can hardly believe it…

I should be bouncing off the walls, right? Yet somehow my brain remains in a state of dazed paralysis. Yes, I have written over 25,000 words… but I have at least another 25,000 to go. And then the editing stage. Oh, help. My little girl idea of “Yes, I’ll be a writer because I love to write and I see so many benefits to the writing life” has had a rather rude awakening. Actually forcing yourself to write when you don’t feel like it is part of this deal?

Haha… you dear ignorant little girl.:)

So… you might be wondering about this novel-in-progress. What it’s about, why I haven’t talked about it very much…

The reason I’ve kept (mostly) quiet about it recently is because I don’t plan to publish it in the near future. I want to write a novel or two and get some experience with the whole novel-writing process before I attempt to publish one. I don’t want to be talking about my novel all the time on here, making you think that I’m prepping for publication, only to remain unpublished for years.

But…

If you would like, I can share a little bit about this project… with the understanding that it definitely won’t be hitting the bookshelves anytime soon.:) If you’re interested in hearing about what’s been going on with my novel-in-progress, let me know… and I would love to share some juicy tidbits with you.:)

-Laurel

Journaling

Straight from the Journal – Tough Gentle Love

by Laurel Luehmann2 Comments on Straight from the Journal – Tough Gentle Love
Straight from the Journal – Tough Gentle Love

Hey, friends! Here’s an unedited taste of this week’s journaling.

For months the topic of Christian love and how I need to be living it out has been on my heart… and that’s what this entry is all about.:)

True love is to walk according to God’s commandments. “be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous;” (1 Peter 3:8)

I want this tough gentle love for others, Lord.

of one mind – clear up misunderstandings, talk through things, don’t hold grudges, pray for understanding, argue to find the truth, not advance your own interests, fight to understand one another.

have compassion for one another – go out of your way to make someone’s load lighter, be sensitive to the feelings of others and act on what you see, speak in a way that induces others to be compassionate rather than judgemental.

love as brothers – strong, deep, committed love. Easy to understand, but hard to put into practice.

be tenderhearted – be sensitive and act on it, love others as you love yourself, be understanding and patient with the emotions of others, even if you don’t understand.

be courteous – look out for others the way you look out for yourself, consider how a decision will affect everyone before making it, ask for opinions, consider the feelings of others.

This indeed is tough gentle love, Lord. Help me to put it into practice in all of my relationships.